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Off Campus Safety Tips

Important Numbers:

CSPD Non-Emergency (719)444-7000

CSPD & CSFD Emergency 911

Home Security & Safety

The Colorado Springs Crime Prevention Unit offers free home security inspections upon request. Call 385-2117 to set up an appointment. Also, involve your landlord to work with you to make your house safer.

Make use of door and window locks (deadbolts, window pins, sliding glass door bars & upgrade if needed. If the locks on the doors or windows do not work, contact your landlord.

Use external lighting for better visibility (motion sensor lamps, flood lamps, etc). Leave your front and back porch lights on after dark. Lighting is the cheapest and most effective way of deterring criminal activity.

Leave a light on inside while you’re away so your house will look occupied and you won’t return to a dark house. Purchase a timer for your lights.

When you leave your house ensure all doors and windows are locked.

Don’t hide a spare key outside of your house.

Even when you’re inside your home, ensure your doors and windows are locked.

Draw shades and curtains at night to prevent people from peeking in.

Install a blocking device or removal pins on your windows so you can open them slightly for ventilation. This will help prevent anyone from gaining access through a completely open window.

If there is a window air conditioning unit, check to see if it can be easily removed. If it can, ask your landlord to secure it properly.

Report any maintenance problems involving safety to the landlord. Keep a list of the repairs, when reported and when repaired.

Bring your bicycle inside your house.

Use your first initial (instead of first name) on the mail box and/or doorbell.

If you have an assigned parking area, ensure there is adequate lighting provided.

Purchase a fire extinguisher and keep it easily accessible in a central location.

Ensure all your smoke detectors work. If you have no smoke detectors, get some or have the landlord supply them.

Purchase a Carbon Monoxide Detector if one is not available or have the landlord supply one.

Have a home escape route planned (In case of an emergency. Know how to get out).

For Apartments: is there some kind of control over who enters the building? Are entrances, parking area, hallways, stairways and laundry room well lit? Are fire stairs locked from the stairwell side (this permits tenants to escape but other cannot enter)? Are door hinges on the outside of the door? If so, ensure there is a pin in the door hinge to prevent the hinge pin from being removed. Are laundry rooms and storage areas kept locked? Is there more than one exit in case of fire?

Report all crimes and suspicious people or activity to CSPD.

You and Your Landlord

Check into and find out about the individual or company that owns and/or manages the house.

Ensure you have examined the house (even if it is recommended by a friend) prior to signing the lease. Remember, safety and costs are your main priorities. Not location.

Ask your landlord who will have access to keys to your house and how the keys are protected.

Ask your landlord if they change the locks when a tenant leaves? Will they allow you to change the locks?

Ask your landlord if you will be notified in advance if repair or maintenance work is scheduled.

Do not accept a verbal agreement from a landlord as final work on some special arrangement, condition or repair. Always have the information written into the lease or agreement. If it is not part of the normal leave, it can be added as an addendum, which should be signed by you and the landlord.

Insure you understand the lease agreement, including what improvements the landlord will pay for and what expenses you will be responsible for.

If you share a house with someone else, ensure everyone signs the lease at the same time. If a conflict should arise between you and a roommate you will not be stuck with the bill if he/she moves out or fails to pay the required rent.

Make sure all blanks on the lease are filled out prior to signing the lease.

Inspect the house prior to moving in. List all items that do not work properly or are otherwise damaged (this is usually called a move-in condition report). Keep a copy of the list and submit a copy to the landlord so the items can be repaired.

Take pictures or video the house upon move in and this will assist you from paying property damages when the lease ends.

Hall Programs

Each new student is given information about our security systems, safety and security tips and the prevention of crimes on campus. All residence hall wings may request specific presentations about campus safety and personal security.